Sheep-shears



(No Model.)

J. W. STROTHER. SHEEP SHEARS.

No. 448,557. Patented Mal. 17, y1891.

MQW A f 'l' llniirnn Sterns anion,

Parent JOHN IV. STROTIIER, OF CHERRY CAMP, TEST VIRGINIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,557, dated March17, 1891.

Application filed April 9, 1890. Serial No. 347,199. (No model.)

To all 1071/0777/ 25 may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN IV. STROTHER, a citizen ot' the United States`residing at Cherry Camp, in the county of Harrison and State of l.VestVirginia, have invented new and useful Sheap-Shears, of which thefollowing is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to sheep-shears; and it has for its object toprovidea device of this class which shall be simple in construction andeflicient in operation, and which may be operated without danger ofinflicting injury to the skin of the animal whose fleece is being cut.

lVith these objects in View the invention consists in the improvedconstruction, combination, and' arrangements of parts, which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly7 pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure lis a perspective view of a pairof sheep-shears embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalvertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesectional View taken on the line o: c in Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

Illy improved shears are composed of the parts l and 2, each of which isprovided with a shank having at its upper end a head et. The heads 4 ofthe two members of the shears are connected in the usual manner by meansof a iiat spring 5, and an additional spring G may be interposed betweenthe said members for the purpose of keeping them normally apart fromeach other.

The part or member l is provided with a flattened portion 7, having aseries of tines 8. The number of these tines may vary; but four isdeemed a suitable number, and this is the number which has been shown inthe drawings hereto annexed. Said tines are perfectly level on the uppersides, and are beveled downwardly and inwardly, as will be clearly seenin Fig. 3 of the drawings, thus forming the sharp cutting-edges 9, thestraight vertical sides 9a, and the inclined or beveled edges 9b. Bythis constructian the beveled edges of the teeth or tines will press thefleece in one direction only--viz.,toward the straight vertical side ofthe next adjacent tooth-thus lessening the liability of the fleecebinding or Wedging between the teeth and being torn out instead of beingsevered by the cutting action of the shearsM The l outer ends of thetines are provided with shoulders l0, having rounded' or blunt pointsll.

The part or member 2 of the shears is provided .with a shear-blade l2,of ordinary construction, mounted to slide upon the flattened orenlarged portion 7 of the part l, and to engage the tines 8 of thelatter. A hook or catch 1.3, suitably attached to the parts 7 of themember l, serves to limit the movement in an outward direction of themember 2 of the shears. To limit the movement in an inlward direction ofthe shear-blade, I provide the member l of the device with a curvedshoulder or abutment la, and the member 2 with a curved shoulder 16,adapted to bear against said abutment, thus preventing the shear-bladepassing beyond the edge of the outermost tooth or tine.

The operation and advantages of this invention will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with thedrawings hereto annexed.

The construct-ion of the device is simple and inexpensive, and it isobvious that injury to the skin of the animal is rendered practicallyimpossible during the operation of the device, owing to the 'fact thatthe point of the cutting-blade l2 is guarded by the shoulders orupturned outer edges of the tines 8. The under side of the part 7 of themember l of the shears is smooth and even, and the device may thereforebe operated rapidly and efficiently, even by a practically unskilledoperator, with satisfactory results.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The herein-described improved animalshears, comprising, in combination, the shankl, having the flattened portion 7, formed with tines S, having dat uppersides, cutting-edges 9, straight vertical sides 9, downwardly andinwardly beveled or inclined sides 9b, and shoulders l0, having bluntpoints ll, the shank 2, having the sheanblade l2, the ccn-,necting-spring 5, and the hook or stop 13,

all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinset forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ai'iixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

J GHN IV. STROII-IER.

Witnesses:

E. B. ROBINSON, D. C. J. Briana.

IOO

